


When The Flowers Bloom Again

by jronekis2 (minhyunbin)



Series: A Thousand Feelings For NU'EST [2]
Category: NU'EST
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Student/Teacher, Angst, Happy Ending, M/M, Slice of Life, Teacher-Student Relationship, Unconventional Format
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-11
Updated: 2020-04-11
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:41:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23482576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/minhyunbin/pseuds/jronekis2
Summary: Under the sea of cherry blossoms, Jonghyun lost his heart, and found it all again.
Relationships: Kim Jonghyun | JR/Aaron Kwak | Aron
Series: A Thousand Feelings For NU'EST [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1688944
Comments: 4
Kudos: 14





	When The Flowers Bloom Again

**Author's Note:**

> prompt: jron, sakura
> 
> please read on desktop due to formatting of the text.

It's that **time** of the year ~~again~~.

Clear skies, chilly wind, cherry ( _blossoming_ ), the world painted **pink**.  
Every Spring, he gets reminded of him, reminded of them. Of the days of  
the past, perhaps already long forgotten. Not to him - Jonghyun n e v e r  
forgets. He couldn't, he wouldn't, and like many people's first love, it was  
simply impossible.

( Fluttering ) petals, dusting his jacket as they settled on the fabric.  
The male closed his eyes, the soft _s p r i n k l e_ of fallen flowers grazed  
his skin. Memories once locked away in his pandora box came flooding  
back, almost **overwhelming**. 

heave.   
_heave.  
_ ... **sigh** **.** _  
_

The first time he knew that ( fluttering ) hearts can be so **loud** was  
that one time Kwak Aron spoke to him. Late afternoon day, golden rays  
streaming into the room. Jonghyun didn't want to go home yet, but he  
was too lazy to move. Summer weather sweltering, but the art room was  
always so cooling, so comforting. The male yawned, sprawling on the  
desk, eyes closed. A nap for the male who curled up like a cat, trying to  
cool themselves from the ~~unbearable~~ heat. 

" There you are. " Doors creaked open, steps aloof, followed by his  
hand pressing down on the back of his head lightly. Jonghyun snapped  
his eyes opened, about to put on his best _glare_ when the hand move to  
ruffle his hair. Gentle. **Soothing.** He sighed easily in defeat.

There's something about the close proximity of the classroom, just  
the two of them, alone. Crickets buzzing ~~muted~~ by the thick glass, the  
boy shrugged the hand away, straightening up. " You were looking for  
me? "

Aron didn't answer him directly. Jonghyun long expected that. In the  
days of their exchange, Aron had proved difficult to decipher. ( _Depths_ )  
of his eyes masked behind glasses, lips almost always with an upwards  
curl, Aron was the amicable teacher that boys called a friend and girls  
looked up. In that retrospect, he had no idea why he insist on ~~barging~~  
into his life.

" You know, someone as _good_ as you  
shouldn't be here." 

  
" ...It's like every time we speak,  
it's about evicting me from school."

Aron laughed.

thump.  
_thump._  
**thump.**

The sort that lights up in a thousand watts.

thump.  
_thump._  
**thump.**

The sort you cannot look away, the sort that makes hearts race. 

thump.  
_thump._  
**thump.**

Jonghyun flushed, annoyed, looking away. The room was starting to  
feel stuffy. He ignored the gaze, waiting till it landed on his **painting**  
instead. Then, he waited. Fingers intertwined in a silent prayer.

( He was a boy who wanted to please after all. )

" It's beautiful. It just,  
makes me want to travel.  
Does it make sense?"

" Well, it _is_ a train. "

" And it's moving. Not literally!  
But, you get my drift.   
...  
**Where do you want to go?** "

" ... "

In his clumsy way, he ( gets it ). Get the story behind each and every  
painting he's ever done. Aron understands the eagerness to escape this  
city, he understood the way Jonghyun used art as the **medium** of his   
speech. He understood the yearning for freedom and yet the hesitance  
to leave. In the short year, Aron _knew_ Jonghyun more than Jonghyun  
ever knew about himself, all through his own artwork.

He recognize the _cobalt blues_ used when he's frustrated, the dash of  
 **silver** used only on special, happy occasions. He paints the night skies  
when he's stressed. He paints the sunset on stormy days threatening to  
overwhelm him. He painted rain for a moment of peace. And he used a  
lot of ~~white~~ if he's unsatisfied about his work, covering up mistakes  
over and over again.

He was also the **only** person to ever compliment his paintings.

" I have no preferences.  
How 'bout you, seongsangnim?  
What do you like? "

Aron looked at him for an extended second.

thump.  
_thump._  
**thump.**

Jonghyun stared back.

thump.  
_thump._  
**thump.**

Without warning, they both _jerked away_.  
**Throats cleared**.  
Eyes ~~wavering~~.

thump. thump. thump.  
_thump. thump. thump._  
**thump. thump. thump.**

" I'd like to see the sakura.  
We don't have that kind of  
stuff in my hometown. "

" Oh. "

" Yep. "

" There's a spot near the school. "

" Really? "

" They say it's a place  
where wishes come true. "

" Sounds magical. "  
  
" Next year, after graduation,  
let's go. "

" ...It's a date, then. "

Jonghyun knew it was just a ( **tease** ), but he flushed anyway, Like  
the tomato that he disliked the most, red running under tanned skin.

Because deep down, he wished nothing more than it being true.

( It's also the first time Jonghyun learned that  
**dreams** were made to be ~~broken~~. )

—————

Aron ( left ) a few weeks shy of graduation. No note, no goodbyes,  
 _nothing_. A new teacher waltz into homeroom one day and that was **it**.

For the longest time, Jonghyun was **angry**. Upset. Curled up in bed  
for hours as he hid away from the world. Questions abound, answers  
 ~~gone~~ , as if he's never there. An _illusion_. While everyone moved about  
their lives quickly, Jonghyun never forgot their _p r o m i s e_.

The naive child waited under the trees as Spring _showered_ upon  
him. He stayed till the ( midnight ) curtains drew across the sky,  
uniform dried and graduation booklet **soaked**. 

And when he ( left ) the country for his studies, Jonghyun left not  
just his family and the two people he called friends. He also left his   
heart behind, locked in a box where the owner had long disappeared.

He was 18, **heartbroken** , _disillusioned_ with the world. 

It wasn't until the recent class reunion that he heard the rumors.

The reason why he ( left ).

" Hey. you guys still remember  
Mr Kwak? The arts teacher that  
that just got up and left? Anyway,  
apparently there's some word  
that he's getting _too close_ with a  
student! he's good-looking at all  
but damn, never knew he'd actually  
make a move on them. "

Movements **stilled**. Jonghyun remembered the other teachers' stares  
and people's whispering behind his back. The way his friends nudged  
each other when someone brought up even as much of a _hint_ of Aron's  
name. It all ( clicked ). 

Jonghyun dismissed himself early. Found an excuse and _ran_ away,  
footsteps bringing him to the exact spot where his heart **wilted** for the  
first time. ( seven ) was the number of years that passed since that day.

He was 18. Now, he's 25. The age Aron was when he walked away.

And yet the trees showed no signs of **age**. Pale pink flowers stood  
proudly, illuminated by the lamppost. Not many appreciated its _beauty_  
in the dead of the night, but Jonghyun wouldn't mind. 

He **stood** by.  
Feeling the _wind_.  
And f a l l i n g flowers.

p e t   
a l   
**by**  
e p  
t  
l a

...like ( rain ).  
~~on that day~~

Breath hitching, eyes closed, fist clenched.

Beneath the lies he's told himself about moving on,  
he still... **misses him**.

Even if it's a cheap shot, even if it's **alcohol** inducing his silliness,  
Jonghyun can't help but put his hands together. In a place he lost his  
 _faith_ in magical tales and shed his innocence, he now looked to a  
miracle. 

" If I could make one wish  
right now, I- "

" ...Jonghyun? "

thump.  
_thump._  
**thump.**

' _Want to meet him again_ ' were the words that died on the tip of his  
tongue. Jonghyun spun around, eyes widening. There Aron stood,  
hands in pockets of his coat. Hair cropped short, but he recognized  
the same glasses and handsome features. The voice. That **posture**.

thump.  
_thump._  
**thump.**

" Seongsangnim? "

thump. _thump_. **thump**.

The same butterflies that tugged at his heartstrings. 

A hesitant smile,  
returned with a hesitant smile.

( Seven ) years of **distance** was something time had robbed him of,  
but time at least had one last line of mercy. He doesn't know what  
would come at the end of this. It's not the kiss he once daydreamed of,  
nor would it be the confession he practiced in front of mirrors at home.  
But, for Jonghyun, this is e n o u g h.

This, is enough.

A deep breath, slow steps taken towards each other. 

Jonghyun tried a better smile. Stronger. _Firmer_. But his voice, quiet.

" It's been a while. "

He waited.

Watched as Aron's smile drawled wider, shoulders eased. He felt his  
own anxiousness ~~faded~~ away.

And as the conversation ~~flowed~~ ,  
new ( promises ) made.

Tonight, the **cherry blossoms** stand witness,  
with winds _cradling_ petals to their feet,  
yet another

reunion of hope. 

**Author's Note:**

> haven't done these kind of formatted fics in a super long while, so i'm super hyped to have completed it. word length is a little over the 1000-word challenge but i had fun creating this. again, thank you to the person who sent in the prompt! 
> 
> your kudos and comments are much appreciated c: bonus points if you could guess which little part is actually my favourite? hehe. also follow me on [@sng_iyagi](https://twitter.com/sng_iyagi) and if you'd like to send a prompt, feel free to let me know your pairing + 1 word via my [curiouscat](https://curiouscat.me/sng_iyagi)! ♡ sng


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